Our company organizes Italian language courses for all those people interested not just in learning the language, but also in getting in touch with the culture and daily life of this wonderful country.

Our Center is located in the center of Camerano, a lovely small town in the "Marches" region with a rich historical background. Located in the hills surrounding Mount Conero, this charming little town is only 6 km away from the wonderful beaches of the Conero Riviera and only 10 km away from Ancona, the main city of the "Marches" region.

Our school gives you the chance to:

- spend an interesting study-vacation in Italy where you will be carefully followed by graduated native teachers;
- be close to the wonderful beaches and resorts of the Conero Riviera;
- appreciate artistic, cultural and naturalistic attractions of the region Marche, still unspoiled by mass tourism and "unexplored";
- live in a small town, in a friendly, warm and stimulating atmosphere;
- be the only foreigner in Camerano and speak Italian wherever you go (bars, shops, restaurants etc.);
- enjoy the homely feeling of a small school where everyone knows each other by name;
- study in small groups (max. 9 participants in a class/average 5/6), divided into 5 teaching levels;
- have contact with the teachers and the school staff even after the lessons;
- practice your Italian all day, thanks to special courses and extracurricular activities (Italian cooking, history of art, Italian wines, cinema, excursions etc) organized by the school;
- count on the school assistance for any problem you might have during your stay.

Our lessons have a conversational based teaching approach to the language, to allow even beginners to communicate in Italian. All courses include not only language lessons but also glances into various aspects of the Italian way of life (every day situations, songs, recipes, traditions). Lessons are held Monday through Friday in the morning and/or in the afternoon (9.00 - 12.30 or 16.00 - 19.30). Each lesson lasts 50 minutes, with a 10-min. coffee break.

The courses are divided into 5 teaching levels:

* Beginner level - this course is for people with no knowledge of Italian. Students will be taught the most common and basic phonetic, grammatical and lexical structures through conversation and simple dialogues. At the end of the course, students should be able to understand and speak well enough to deal with simple daily situations;

* Elementary level - for those who have already attended a basic course or have gathered basic knowledge of Italian in occasion of former trips or holidays in Italy and now would like to improve and get a deeper knowledge of the elementary structures of this language;

* Pre-intermediate level - for students with elementary knowledge of the Italian language. Students will have conversations on issues of general interest. They also will work on short written passages containing simplified syntactical structures as well as get in touch with simple idiomatic expressions;

* Intermediate level - students will get in touch with more difficult grammar structures, their communication abilities will noticeably improve and their vocabulary will significantly increase. This level will include reading and understanding of simple texts and newspaper articles;

* Advanced level - it is mainly conversation-based, in order to expand the students' vocabulary and increase their ability to understand all texts: newspapers, magazines, and literature, as well as short poems; the students' understanding of the spoken language will also improve, by watching movies and videos in Italian.

Our program is rich and articulated. We offer:

- Extensive, intensive and super-intensive group courses in small groups;
- Individual courses up to 10 hours daily and on request with lunch with the teacher;
- One-to-one and group courses for specific subjects (business, technical, literary Italian, etc.);
- Preparation courses for students wishing to be admitted by Italian Universities;
- Courses for organized groups up to 40 people with full extracurricular program.

Usually people who enroll for this course are either friends or work together i.e. know each other well and have the same level of knowledge of Italian. It's not easy, if you enroll individually, to find someone wishing to attend the same course on the same date and who has the same level of knowledge of Italian.

Individual courses all year round, except for the Christmas period (21st December to 6th January). At the end of each course each student will receive a certificate of attendance indicating the level of proficiency attained.

Our Center, upon request, and with at least 30 days' notice during the summer (6 weeks recommended for August), will try to find comfortable and convenient accommodation in Camerano or the surrounding area (i.e.: Ancona, by the sea). Lodging will be provided in Hotels, Agriturismo (farms with typical restaurant), or in selected families, where students will be able to practice their Italian communication skills in day-to-day family life situations.

Those who prefer to share an apartment with other students can either live in Camerano, near the school, or by the sea in Numana (Marcelli), the ideal holiday resort for those who love sunshine, the sea and having fun. There we can provide accommodation in apartments and cottages by the sea with other students at the most convenient prices. Marcelli is only 6 km away from the school and is connected to Camerano by an excellent bus service.

The host families are located in Camerano and have been carefully selected. You can choose between single or double rooms, breakfast included. Half-board or full-board are available on request.

Faculty Information:
All teachers are young native speakers, with a University background and experience in teaching Italian to foreigners. Above all, they are always available for organizing extra-curricular and outdoor activities, to make free time as enjoyable as possible and to solve any problems the students might encounter during their stay in Camerano.

Other Activities:
Camerano is close to some of the most beautiful beaches of the Adriatic coast. In addition, the school organizes every week trips and excursions to some of the most striking and renewed places of the region.

Those who like to keep in contact with nature will have the opportunity to join trekking or biking guided tours to the Monte Conero Natural Park. Most of Italy's Adriatic coastline is flat, but Monte Conero, just south of Ancona, is a rare exception. It is an impressive limestone promontory that plunges into the sea and guards a handful of delightful little bathing resorts, featuring unforgettable bays and the prettiest beaches on the whole of the Northern Adriatic shore.

As an alternative, excursions can be organized to Monti Sibillini Natural Park, in the heart of Appennines. This mountain range hosts Monte Vettore (2,476 mts.), one of the highest peaks on the Italian mainland; its wild tarns and windswept high plains provide a breathtaking landscape.

The Frasassi caves are some of the most spectacular caves you are ever likely to visit. So far, some 13 km of limestone caverns have been explored and it is reckoned that they may run for up to 35 km. Only one and a half km of this crystalline wonderland is open to the general public, but it is still worth the trip. Equipped with walkways and theatrical lighting, the caves include the awesome Grotta Grande del Vento, Europe's largest single cavern. It is so vast that Milan Cathedral would comfortably fit inside and hosts some of the most extravagantly fanciful stalagmites and stalactites you are ever likely to see.

Those who love Italian art and culture will be able to visit the Romanesque churches, the picturesque castles and medieval villages which make our region so unique and attend at least one of the numerous historical and medieval festivals. Art lovers cannot miss the opportunity to visit Urbino's Palazzo Ducale, the ancient residence of the Dukes of Montefeltro, a renowned Renaissance monument which now hosts Marches National Gallery. Marches' important monuments include the famous Loreto Sanctuary, San Leo Fortress, where Count Cagliostro was imprisoned, Gradara Castle and many other.

From May to September, our 165 km coastline is a paradise for all water and water sports enthusiasts and for those who cannot do without the traditional "made-in-Italy" suntan. Located only 6 km. away from Camerano is Portonovo, a bay of acclaimed beauty, characterized by the little Romanesque Church of Santa Maria (eleventh century), an old watch tower and a Napoleonic fort. Portonovo is a lovely seaside resort, very popular among local people, and renowned for windsurfing. The beach is part of a natural park, and its environmental charm has been preserved intact.

South of Portonovo and below the steep cliffs of Mount Conero, you can admire the beautiful "Two Sisters' beach". It took its name from two huge twin rocks rising from the transparent water. This lovely place can only be reached by boat or through difficult paths that descend steeply from the top of Mount Conero, offering breathtaking views.

Sirolo and Numana are the two pearls of summer tourism. They are quite close to one another, but each has particular features of its own. Sirolo is smaller and more intimate, offering stupendous views of the coast and of the mountain, while Numana with its long, wide beaches, its bars and discos is the ideal place for those who love sunshine and the nightlife.

For everyone, our school's staff will be happy to organize visits to museums, evenings at the theaters, and nights at the discos, or other places where you can listen to pleasant live music. Our teachers will organize games and treasure hunts, where the students will check their progress in the Italian language and have fun, by trying to solve riddles and win the prizes.

The local cuisine too is heavily influenced by the sea and by farming traditions. Here is the home cook and not the professional chef who rules, and even the smartest restaurants tend to offer dishes derived from our grandmothers' recipes. A generous portion of "Vincisgrassi" (a traditional rich baked lasagna without the usual tomato sauce), a shellfish risotto, brodetto (fish stew made with 13 different types of fish), spaghetti dressed with vongole, or baby clams, accompanied by wines like Verdicchio, Bianchello, Rosso Conero or Lacrima di Morro d'Alba will satisfy even the most demanding gourmets. If you are touring in summer or early autumn, you'll probably have the chance of attending a local sagra - a festival dedicated to a town's particular specialty where you can try the food in question (truffle, fish, wild boar, gnocchi, etc.) served in a dozen different ways.

Facility Information:
The school is located near the center of our picturesque small town, close to all facilities and to the accommodations where the students are usually lodged.

Our courses are held in comfortable classrooms, in a friendly and homely atmosphere, just a few hundred meters from the historical town center, in Via Loretana 115/2nd floor. The school is very close to some of the hotels, apartments and families where our students are usually lodged, and to the bus stop. Students at our Center have access to e-mail and Internet services at very low prices (1 hr. internet costs 3 Euro) and directly from the school (during working hours).

Our basic text and exercise books have been conceived by long experienced teachers. They are used together with complementary materials such as newspaper and magazine articles, audiovisual materials, and other activities. The cost of all text books and other supplies is fully included in the enrollment fee.

Notes:
The school registration fee is 40 Euros, it is valid for one year and includes:
- textbook
- additional notes and other materials
- 1 naturalistic excursion in Conero natural park
- lodging- finding service
- organization of extracurricular activities and attendance certificate.

About This Supplier

Location: ItalyJoined InfoHub: Jun 2005Client Request Served: 2

M05191 organizes Italian language courses for people interested in learning the Italian language and in getting in touch with the culture and daily life of Italy.
We have qualified native teachers, friendly and stimulating atmosphere, modern teaching methods, small groups (5-9 students per class), rich...